Career – what does it really mean?

Career – what does it really mean?

Career:

At the end of last year/begin of this, I asked you what you wanted me to write about. Thanks to several of you, you responded!

1 response was ‘I don’t see what I’m doing as a (insert your own artistic title here) as a career.’

Confession time – it took me years before I could own up to my own career. I knew I’d accepted my career when I was able to put it in my passport.

So, why is it so hard for us artist types to name what we do as a career?

Here’s my biggest reason – money. I’m not making any ‘real’ money at this so that makes me a (you fill in the blank.)

Equity says that most members do not earn a living wage. This is really telling, as this is our paid up members who, mostly, aren’t earning enough to pay for this very vital membership. These are often people we see as professionals.

So, let’s look closer at the definition for career:

Noun: an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress

Hmmm? Nothing about how much a person makes in this definition.

Let’s look at the verb

Verb: move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way

Nothing here about it either.

I say own your career, your progress and your moving swiftly and in an uncontrolled way.

What a great life we have!

Don’t they say it’s about the journey, so let’s get on board and enjoy the ride!

Let me introduce you to NED, a good and trusty friend of mine:

Never give up
Encourage others
Do your best

NED!

How do you define what you do? Have you got over this? or Not? Tell all below: